Pearl Seas considering Cuba cruises

JANUARY 7, 2015 — One of the first cruise lines to offer cruises to Cuba may be Guilford, CT, based Pearl Seas Cruises, a sister company of American Cruise Line.

The company said today that it is exploring possible itinerary options for Cuba. The Cuba cruises would offer guests a genuine experience to a variety of different ports, particularly those which larger ships cannot visit.

"Cuba has been on our radar for quite some time," said a spokesperson for Pearl Seas Cruises. "Our small ships are perfect for exploring the most beautiful areas by docking in small towns or in the heart of historic cities in addition to Havana. Many ports require infrastructural changes to accommodate larger ships, but we can visit them easily."

Pearl Seas Cruises is considering cruises that will operate on both the Southern and Northern coasts of Cuba. It says that cruises could begin and conclude in South Florida or at one of many island nations near Cuba. Various length cruises are being considered, all which, says the cruise line, will offer a unique perspective of Cuban culture – its heritage, education, economy, history and more.

The cruise line says that further details of its Cuba plans will be released in the coming months.

Pearl Seas Cruises describes itself as the newest specialty ship cruise line in the United States. Its 210-passenger Pearl Mist currently operates various Great Lakes, Canadian Maritimes and New England cruises with Caribbean cruises planned for 2015.

The Marshall Islands registered Pearl Mist was accepted last year after four years of legal disputes with Canadian builder Halifax Shipyards and underwent final outfitting at American Cruise Line's sister company, Chesapeake Shipbuilding, Salisbury, MD.

The 335 ft long by 56 ft beam ship has a draft of 12 ft. It has six decks and can carry 210 passengers in rooms ranging from 300-580 square feet, with 107 of its 108 staterooms having a private balcony.